Politics

Barbara Lyons to retire as head of Wisconsin Right to Life

Barbara Lyons, whose political savvy and tenacity turned Wisconsin Right to Life into one of the nation's most powerful anti-abortion groups, will retire at the end of the year.

Lyons, 73, has been with the organization for 40 years, the last 27 as executive director.

"I've always been a planner," Lyons said Monday. "This has been something anticipated for several years."

The succession planning amounts to a generational changing of the guard.

"It's seismic, not only in terms of people, but also in terms of age," Lyons said. "We're going to be a much younger organization."

Lyons will be succeeded by Heather Weininger, the group's legislative director.

Weininger, 36, will become executive director July 1, with Lyons assuming an emeritus role for six months.

"It's a transition, and we want it to be as smooth as can be," Lyons said.

Over the past months, Lyons has maintained a punishing schedule despite family hardship. Her oldest son, who had a seizure disorder, died earlier this year. Her husband also had a series of medical issues last year but has recovered.

Lyons acknowledged it will be difficult stepping away from the front lines of the debate over abortion. Starting as a volunteer, she rose through the ranks of the organization, becoming legislative director in 1977 and executive director in 1987.

"This is kind of a lifelong work," she said. "When you put 40 years in, you're invested personally and emotionally. You feel passionately about the cause, about the mission."

During Lyons' career, the organization grew stronger and successfully lobbied for legislation including bills that prohibited state taxpayer money to pay for abortions and conscience protections for medical professionals. The group also mounted a successful court challenge to the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law.

Weininger admitted she has a big task ahead in replacing Lyons. But she already has successfully handled one transition when she joined the organization last year after the retirement of Sue Armacost, the group's longtime legislative and political action committee director.

"I can't be a new Barbara, that's for sure," Weininger said. "Her institutional knowledge is something she'll carry with her. I hope over time I can carry that institutional knowledge going forward."

Born in Eau Claire and raised in Green Bay, Weininger was a legislative staffer for former U.S. Rep. Mark Green. She also worked on John Gard's two campaigns for Congress. A mother of two, she is married to state Rep. Chad Weininger (R-Green Bay), who is not running for re-election.